Troops used an Audag-6 heavy hexacopter to fly a wounded infantryman to safety after mines and Russian drones made it impossible to reach him by ground robot
TENCORE bought stakes in robot makers TOR and NODRICS, and says it will raise outside investment for more acquisitions
Ukraine released the first footage of a Bars jet-powered drone intercepting a Russian Geran-5. President Zelensky says Bars hits about 30% of jet-powered targets, the best rate of any Ukrainian interceptor
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Ukrainian defense technology company TENCORE has acquired equity stakes in robotic systems manufacturers TOR and NODRICS, bringing their platforms into its newly announced TENCORE Ecosystem. Co-founder and CEO Maksym Vasylchenko told Defender Media that the company financed its first acquisitions internally but would seek investment for further deals already in preparation. Financial terms and ownership percentages were not disclosed. TENCORE does not necessarily intend to acquire every participating company outright, but plans to secure preferential rights to purchase additional shares if existing owners sell.
TOR produces a heavy wheeled ground robot with enhanced off-road capability and armored wheels for transporting supplies across difficult terrain. NODRICS developed MAT1LDA, an amphibious platform powered by a gasoline engine and equipped with side pontoons. Its stated payload reaches 500 kilograms on land and 400 kilograms on water, with respective ranges of up to 160 and 50 kilometers.
Ukrainian manufacturer BlueBird Tech has unveiled its Chuyka 4.5.0 drone detector, expanding frequency coverage and adding the ability to display intercepted analog drone video on external monitors. The company says the upgrade responds to Russian forces’ growing use of different video-transmission frequencies on FPV drones, Molniya aircraft, and other unmanned systems. Chuyka scans four frequency bands in parallel, completing a cycle in approximately four to eight seconds.
When it identifies a signal, it provides visual and audible warnings and displays the intercepted feed on its built-in screen. BlueBird claims detection at distances of up to four kilometers, depending on signal strength and operating conditions. The external-video connection is intended to let personnel at command posts and headquarters examine drone feeds on larger displays. Weighing up to 940 grams, the detector has a redesigned housing, MOLLE mounting, active cooling, and a stated battery life of up to 4.5 hours, with external power also supported.
The U.S. Army has tested Ukrainian Magura MV7 uncrewed boats as launch platforms for aerial drones during the Bayonet Quest 26 exercise in Michigan. Footage shows UAVs taking off from a platform mounted on the bow of a vessel produced by UFORCE. The exercise, held from September 26 to October 6, involved the 7th Infantry Division, an Army formation operating in the Indo-Pacific, and explored the use of autonomous systems and unmanned aircraft.
During its maritime phase, troops operated the Ukrainian boats alongside an Mk VI patrol boat and launched aerial drones directly from the water. The arrangement could extend reconnaissance coverage and operational reach while allowing crewed vessels to remain farther from dangerous areas, according to Defence Blog, cited by Defender Media. This was the second publicly reported use of Magura-family boats by U.S. forces this year. In April, the platforms participated in the Balikatan exercise in the Philippines, helping destroy a decommissioned target ship near Itbayat Island.
Russia is improving drone resistance to jamming, adding heavier warheads, and pooling battlefield footage for artificial intelligence development, according to Defender Media’s latest Black Mirror roundup. Ukrainian military intelligence says Russia already uses 16-antenna Kometa navigation modules extensively and is preparing production of 20-element versions. The systems help missiles, drones, and guided bombs maintain satellite navigation under electronic interference, while their manufacture continues to rely on foreign electronics and industrial equipment.
Russian military commentators also report that the Gerbera-2, previously used primarily as a decoy or fitted with smaller explosive charges, now carries a 10-kilogram fragmentation, explosive, and incendiary warhead. Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry has established a shared repository of combat drone footage for training military AI, with more than 40 organizations reportedly participating and common standards for labeling objects. Ukrainian analyst Serhii Beskrestnov says jet-powered Geran-4 drones launched from Crimea recently traveled 820–880 kilometers toward western Ukraine, potentially with reduced warheads to extend their range.
